Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Avalyse Peterson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Avalyse thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

In my line of work, there are so many examples of when I had to take a risk. With photography especially, you need to find ways to stand out in such a competitive field. One of the moments I’ll always reflect on was my first styled shoot; this is a photoshoot where you have models, vendors, and a venue. My goal for the session was to create more unique wedding content as I was working to build my portfolio and network with vendors.

I was seventeen years old at the time and I had very little income — a photoshoot this large in scale would be a big investment for me. I remember adding up the costs and having this gut feeling that this one was worth the risk. I wasn’t sure how I was going to find the money to execute the vision to life, but I knew if I worked hard enough, it would all come together.

The photoshoot did come together beautifully, with an amazing vendor team, models, and a beautiful estate winery venue. I remember learning a valuable lesson that you should always have a backup dress. The beautiful hand-sewn, Italian designer dress I was borrowing from a boutique ended up having to be cut into and zip-tied onto the model. Following the shoot I had a very expensive payment to make to the bridal boutique, but I’d still say it was worth every penny.

Some advice I live by when it comes to taking risks in business is, “if someone tells you no, you’re asking the wrong person”. This was influential for me when it came to curating shoots or selling my packages to clients. There is always someone out there who would say yes, you just have to find them!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I got into photography when I was very young, I don’t exactly know when because I was always drawn to it. My first paid shoot was when I was fourteen years old and I remember having a lightbulb moment that maybe I could really do what I love and make that my career someday. I shot my first wedding when I was sixteen and from then on I knew this was my dream job.

Over the past few years, I’ve started to create more of a soft, cinematic approach to my sessions. Clients have often described wanting to book me for the “dreamy feel” I try to create in photos. I offer three packages, a mini, standard, and deluxe — I mostly work with couples, portraits, and branding sessions. Additionally, I’m a wedding photographer that aims to have flexible packages for my clients, as weddings are not a “one size fits all” in needs and desires.

My main goal with my clients is to create a space where they feel comfortable, at ease, and confident in themselves. My priority is the client experience — if they’re having a good time, I’m having a good time. A successful shoot to me is one where they can walk away feeling better than before and more confident in who they are!

How did you build your audience on social media?

This is a tricky question because I’m definitely still learning how to build a social media presence. I think it’s something you never really stop learning, because Instagram is ever-evolving and changing as time goes on. I will say that however much time you put in is usually what you’ll get out. If you’re posting consistently, interacting with other business owners and followers, curating a feed, that’s what will lead to your growth on social media. Followers and growth doesn’t magically happen just by people finding you, especially with photography.

One of my biggest pieces of advice for photographers and fellow business owners is to focus on your feed. How do you appear to clients? What message are you getting across? For the longest time, I thought it was more important to post how busy I was with sessions that I would share content I wasn’t proud of and didn’t compliment my profile feed. I remember taking a marketing class my first year of college that helped me see my brand presentation with a new lens. My Professor kept saying to us, “whether you mean to or not, your brand is advertising to someone. The question is, who are you marketing towards without realizing it?”. This really stuck with me and it caused me to reevaluate what content I was posting and what direction I wanted to go towards in my business. Your social media profile is like speed-dating for consumers, make sure you look your best!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

My main goal (as discussed previously) is client experience. It’s incredibly important to me that my clients feel supported, appreciated, and confident throughout the entire booking and shooting process. I believe that this has also been incredibly effective in growing my clientele in general. My favorite part of sessions is getting to know the client and (in couples sessions) getting to hear their love story. It’s a sweet time for me as the photographer because I get to be let in on such intimate, memorable moments. Creating that connection with my couples and clients has lead to a friendship that lasts past the shoot. I book clients largely from referrals and then social media second.

If I could give some advice, it would be to remember that they’ll always have the photos, but they’ll remember how they felt most of all. In addition to that, continue to keep the relationships going even after the photos are delivered. Staying connected on social media is such a helpful way to keep in touch. Sending gifts can also be beneficial, especially for wedding clients. This is a new addition I’ve made to my wedding packages is sending thank you gifts with a personalized box, prints, and crystal USB stick. Looking for ways to personally connect with the client is ideal, remind them that they’re your priority throughout the process.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://avalysephotography.com
• Instagram: @avalyse_photography

Image Credits

Avalyse Photography